retirement
Is it worth it to take early retirement?
We all dream of early retirement, but what if someone told you the financial benefits of working just one year longer? Would you do it? Or would you say, I want to retire; I’ve been working for forty years. Jordan…
Ask Rusty – Shocked Because Medicare Increase Results in Loss of Social Security Benefits
Dear Rusty: My wife and I have taken a Social Security “Cut” — no 3.2% raise for us, due to something called “IRMAA,” based on our income. We actually took, together, a $400 a month cut. As far as I…
Attitudes Toward Retirement Are Shifting
It seems the thought of picking a retirement date and walking away is a thing of the past. The 2024 Annual Retirement Study from Allianz Life seems to support this attitude change, with nearly half of survey participants indicating an…
An Analysis of Claiming Ages and the Impact on Benefit Amounts
As most folks approaching the point of claiming Social Security benefits, the age at which you file makes a significant difference in the amount of that monthly payment. The Motley Fool’s Adam Levy illustrates this difference in a series of…
A Word of Caution Amid the Euphoria of a Slight Improvement
The media airwaves are awash in reports about the one-year setback in Secutiry’s point of insolvency. Good news? Yes, of course, but before we join in the giddiness, it’s important that we stay focused on the reality that the new…
Thoughts on Meeting Retirement’s Financial and Healthcare Challenges
Nobody said it would be easy, and the closer many soon-to-be retired folks get to the goal line, the larger the challenges seem to loom. With savings levels down and the estimates of wealth required to retire comfortably steadily drifting…
Retirement Planning: Where do you get your advice?
Planning for a financially secure retirement is, for just about everybody, a daunting process. To be effective, it requires careful analysis, tough decisions, and appropriate consideration of advice from qualified sources. Emphasis on this last point is qualified and, as…
Potential changes may call for a reassessment of Americans retirement plans.
Some things that may affect retirement plans are an increase in the cost of living and the government making changes to Social Security. A significant majority of workers expect Social Security to be a major source of retirement income. Other…
Can Annuities help with your Social Security strategy?
There are a myriad of options to consider when deciding to claim Social Security benefits. Eligibility spans eight years, from age 62 to 70. If you want to retire early and delay taking Social Security, how do you fill in…
Survey Results Point to an Unfolding “Retirement Crisis”
Nearly nine in ten participants in a recent Alliance for Prosperity and a Secure Retirement (APSR) poll feel a retirement crisis is on the way for Americans. With only about a quarter of the poll participants feeling confident in their…